The Green Hornet

 MCSO eNewsletter

 
Your 24/7
 Human Services
 and Public Safety Agency 
 
 
Summer 2013
 
  
In this issue
Sheriff's Message
Law Enforcement Torch Run
Wood Village Night Out
MCSO Summer Safety School
Back to School Road Safety
MCSO SAR is Recruiting
2013 MCSO Citizens Academy
MCSO Home Check Program
MCSO Work Crew
Internet - Online Safety
Police and Fire World Games

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Letter from Sheriff Staton

 

Greetings,

  Sheriff Staton

I hope everyone has had a safe and enjoyable summer season. As we move back into fall and schools begin session again, I wanted to thank all of our staff who volunteered their time away from the Sheriff's Office to participate in several parades and community events this summer. From the Good in the Hood, Pride and Gateway Area Business Association parades, to the State Summer Games for Special Olympics Oregon, the Law Enforcement Torch Run and Community Nite Out events in Wood Village and Corbett, these Sheriff's Office staff dedicated a portion of their own time to reach out and contribute back to the community.


The Sheriff's Office has a strong tradition of volunteerism and community involvement and we continue to hold that high standard and tradition to heart. Every year, MCSO Staff volunteer thousands of hours at community events, school fundraisers and in classrooms. Contribute off duty time to help mentor youth in the community through programs such as the East Latino Community Outreach program and the Rosewood Initiative or brighten a child's day at a Shop with a Cop event or the Community Transitional School holiday party. 

 

I am proud of everyone's efforts within the Sheriff's Office to remain active within the communities we are proud to serve. I hope you all have an enjoyable remainder of the summer and look forward to another great year carrying on the Sheriff's Office traditions and providing exemplary service to the communities we serve. 

 

 

 

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Sheriff Daniel Staton 

Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Oregon

 

 

On July 11, 2013 members from multiple agencies including the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, Troutdale Police Department, Fairview Police Department, Portland Police Bureau, FBI, Port of Portland, Multnomah County Department of Community Justice, Oregon Department of Transportation and the Oregon National Guard. DHS - ICE and the Oregon US Attorney participated in the first stage of the Law Enforcement Torch Run as part of the lead up to the Summer State Games for Special Olympics Oregon. Over 70 runners participated in this leg along with Multnomah County Special Olympics Oregon athletes and coaches.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) represents a long-standing tradition within the Special Olympics family. During the week of July 8-13 this year, over 800 law enforcement volunteers (Guardians of the Flame) and Special Olympics Oregon athletes relayed the Flame of Hope to Summer State Games for the Games Ceremonies at Newberg High School Stadium.

 

Over July 12-14 some 3,000 Special Olympics Oregon athletes, coaches, and other volunteers converged on the Newberg area to compete for Olympic medals and ribbons in softball, golf, track and field, and bocce. Athletes trained for a minimum of eight weeks for the Summer State Games, and must have participated in one of many regional competitions to be eligible to compete in the Summer State Games.

 

The Law Enforcement Torch Run began in Wichita, Kansas in 1981. Now a year-round global event, all 50 states and more than 30 foreign countries participate in the Law Enforcement Torch Run relay. In Oregon, more than 1,000 law enforcement personnel from federal, military, state, county and local agencies participate in the Torch Run, Special Olympics Oregon's largest grassroots fundraising and public awareness program.

 

Thank you to the following for all of the donations that supported the first stage of the north leg of the Torch Run. These included: Skyland Pub, NW Priority Credit Union, and the Multnomah County Deputy Sheriff's Association.

 

About Special Olympics Oregon:

 

Special Olympics Oregon serves the largest disability population in the state and this year they will celebrate their 40th Anniversary. Special Olympics Oregon provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. Special Olympics Oregon is Training for Life. Additional information can be found at www.soor.org.


Wood Village Night Out - 2013

  

The city of Wood Village, in partnership with the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, held its 14th annual Wood Village City Nite Out on July 19th, 2013.

 

The event is held annually and highlights crime prevention education and public safety along with live music, children's games and activities; and free hot dogs, beverages, ice cream, cotton candy and popcorn.

MCSO SWAT Demonstration

Throughout the evening demonstrations were done by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office and included a K9, SWAT and TASER demonstration. "Shoot or Don't Shoot" scenarios were provided by the MCSO Training Unit and MCSO Search and Rescue (SAR) had static displays set up with SAR volunteers' talking about the important role they have in the community and providing information for those who are interested in joining them. Members from both the United States Army and Marines were on hand representing their Service. Kaine Horman attended and staffed a Kyron Horman awareness station and also provided information on child safety. A Kid Safe ID station was also available for families to stop in and have their own child safe identification kits created for their children. The American Red Cross Blood Drive encouraged people to become regular blood donors and held a blood drive during the event.

 

Community vendors and businesses were also on hand providing information on the services they provide and demonstrations from Martial Arts Fitness Center and Northwest Gymnastics also occurred.

 

The event was another great success and the weather was beautiful staying warm and dry throughout!  

  

 

MCSO Summer Safety School Program Continues its Success

  

MCSO deputies reached out to schools in unincorporated Multnomah County this past school year providing summer safety education to elementary age children and creating a positive contact with an MCSO Deputy Sheriff in communities they serve.

 

During each 45-minute presentation, an MCSO Deputy is introduced and talks with the schoolchildren about bicycle safety, boat and water safety, home safety and proper use of 911. They also conduct a question and answer with the children and talk about their uniform and duty belt equipment. Upon conclusion, MCSO Deputies administer a Junior Deputy "oath" and pass out Junior Deputy Stickers to the students.

 

This past school year MCSO Deputies visited Corbett Grade School, East Orient Elementary School, Pleasant Valley Elementary School and Sauvie Island Academy. 15 presentations were given at the four schools in 2013 to a total of 565 students.

 

A total of 65 presentations have been presented to 2,270 students since the program's inception in 2010. The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office reaches out to provide this program during each school year to help introduce law enforcement in a positive interaction for the school children and promote summer safety during school breaks.  

SOME TRAFFIC SAFETY REMINDERS FOR THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

 

As we roll into the start of another school year, it is a good time to review some of the rules of the road specifically created to ensure the safety of our children.
 
SCHOOL ZONES
Designated school zones are meant to alert motorists that the area they are entering will likely have children directly or potentially interfacing with traffic.
 
Some typical warning signs indicating a school zone are:   

 
school zone signs 
 

SCHOOL SPEED ZONES  Usually found in conjunction with a posted school zone, the school speed zone is intended to create a safety buffer between motorists and children. The 20 mph speed limit gives drivers extra time to be alert to their surroundings and avoid or stop before encountering any hazards.  Examples of these are:

speed zone signs 
 

School speed zones are active when the conditions posted on the sign are present.  For the above examples, the 20 mph restriction is only in place when the light is flashing for the sign with the flashing yellow light.  only between 0700-1700 on school days as posted on the middle sign, and when children are or are likely to be present for the final sign.  Although it was the only sign originally authorized for school zones, because of its ambiguity the final sign is now rarely seen in the Metro area.  However, you may still find it at locations with intermittent use like Sunday schools or at parks and sports fields that are immediately adjacent to school grounds.


Any time a school speed zone is not active, the speed through the area reverts to the base posted or unposted speed limit.
Even so,since school grounds are a natural gathering point for children at all times, drivers should still exercise caution and a higher level of awareness whenever traveling through a school zone, active or not.   zone ends

 END OF THE SCHOOL SPEED ZONE
Where does a school speed zone end?  The legal definition is when it is posted as such or at the point where a posted speed sign not designating a school speed zone is placed.  For example;
 
Another common variation in the Metro area is a school zone designator sign with a smaller sign under it that says END or END OF SCHOOL ZONE.
 
SCHOOL BUSES

Oregon Revised Statute 811.155 provides that a motorist must stop if it meets or is about overtake a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing.  While not required, most current buses also have a lit and highlighted stop sign that comes out in conjunction with the activation of the flashing fore and aft red lights.
 
Vehicles overtaking should pull no further than equal to the back of the bus. Vehicles meeting should pull no further than equal to the front of the bus.
 
The only exception to this rule is if you are travelling on a parallel but
physically separated roadway.  This means that a physical barrier of some sort (concrete highway barrier, concrete lane dividers, or center pedestrian island) is between you and the bus.

   
signs
 
 

MCSO Search and Rescue team seeks Volunteers for Annual Academy 

 

No experience required! The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office will begin enrollment next month in its annual search and rescue (SAR) academy - open to those interested in volunteering their time. An information and orientation meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11 and Wednesday Sept. 18 at the MCSO Hansen Building located at 12240 N.E. Glisan St. in Portland.

 

 

Those who enroll in SAR academy will become members of the MCSOSAR tradition, becoming members of an active search and rescue team that is regularly called to find the lost and care for the injured in the Columbia River Gorge, throughout Multnomah County and around the state of Oregon. The academy will accept volunteers over the age of 14, in good health, who are able to pass a background check. Middle and high school students must be making sufficient progress toward their diploma.

 

The 8-month academy offers training and experience in current search and rescue techniques and culminates in Oregon state Search and Rescue certification. After the first month of training, students will be able to participate in some searches. After just a few months, students can participate in all search types.

         

Key elements of SAR academy training include search techniques; wilderness awareness; outdoor survival skills; evidence identification and crime scene preservation; land navigation using GPS, map and compass; medical assessment; and first aid.

 

Those interested in joining are encouraged to attend one of the orientation nights on Sept. 11 and Sept. 18 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.

 

Sign Up For the 2013 Citizen Academy Now! 

 
 
 
Academy Schedule: 

Classes are held on Wednesdays from 7pm - 9pm at Wood Village City Hall 

The Citizen's Police Academy is a 12 week program designed to provide a working knowledge of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office 
while promoting closer relationships between our agency and the citizens we serve. This course provides an opportunity for community involvement and gives attendees firsthand experience of law enforcement services. This course is informational only, and will not certify you to become a law enforcement or public safety officer.

 

The FREE academy begins September 4, 2013 and graduation is November 13, 2013.


Applications are available online or at the Wood Village City Hall during regular business hours.
 

 

For more information or an application please use the link below.

 

Citizens Academy Information 

 

Did you know... Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Vacation Home Check Program 


 

If you have ever gone away for the weekend, or on an extended vacation somewhere, you know the feeling of worrying if your home is safe and secure in your absence.

 

The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) Vacation Home Check Program allows homeowners to request extra patrols at their residence while they are out of town for an extended period of time (typically longer than two nights). This service is available to homeowners that live in unincorporated Multnomah County, the City of Wood Village, or the City of Maywood Park.

 

Homeowners are encouraged to notify MCSO whenever they are going to be out of town so that patrol deputies assigned to your neighborhood are aware of when your house should be unoccupied and what persons or vehicles are allowed to be there in your absence.

 

When requested, MCSO deputies will stop by your residence as often as possible during the course of their daily patrol duties and conduct a "premise check" of your residence. This includes checking exterior doors, exterior windows, and most outbuildings to insure that they are locked and secure. Any suspicious activity, such as an unlocked/unsecured exterior door or window is checked out immediately. Our deputy will make every attempt to secure that door or window before leaving your property. If it appears that a crime has occurred (like a burglary), the patrol deputy will make every effort to contact you as soon as possible.

 

If you'd like MCSO patrol deputies to keep an extra eye on your house while you are out of town, please call the MCSO Law Enforcement Records Unit at 503-255-3600, extension 0. Please be prepared to give the following information:

 

Name of residents

 

Address of your residence

 

Date leaving

 

Date returning

 

Any authorized visitors (house sitters, pet sitters, etc)

 

Any authorized vehicles (vehicles left at the residence and vehicles that will be stopping by)

 

Emergency contact information (including local responders like neighbor, family members, people who could respond to your home quickly if called by a deputy)

 

Any special information (are there pets at the house, firearms in the house, recent problems/threats made by family, friends or neighbors, etc

Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Inmate Work Crew Giving Back To the Community

 

 

Multnomah County Sheriff's Office inmate work crews kept busy again this summer working on several community landscaping projects, trash and debris removal, mowing, trimming branches and other brush away from county roadways among other tasks. Inmate work crews are supervised by an MCSO Work Crew Deputy and are out daily during the week in the communities of Multnomah County learning basic work ethics, labor skills and giving back to the community while serving their sentence.

 

Inmate work crews have also supported several non-profit community events over the summer in addition to their regularly assigned duties. Some of these events included Sand in the City, where inmates assisted in the setup and tear down for the event. The Hawthorne Beach Cleanup where they removed downed trees and other debris from the beach areas at both ends of the bridge and at the Columbia Slough Regatta assisting in moving boats and kayaks between the staging and the launch areas. Supporting these types of events provides a benefit to the community and the interactions assist in preparing inmates for their transition back into society.   
Cyber Security
2012 MS-ISAC Cyber Security Calendar Contest Winner

Many of you have an online presence whether it be through your home computer, tablet or smart phone.  With the start of school right around the corner, your students are using online resources more than ever before.  Textbooks are becoming an online resource or ebook available for use on ereaders like the Nook or Kindle.  With this vast wealth of information available online, children and adults of all ages are using the internet for work, school and recreation.  This information boom has also raised our level of risk as we expose our personal information as well as give our children a new way to communicate.

Most of us have heard of or are a part of social networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace, services like Twitter or Instagram, Snapchat or Vine. On these sites or services, users set up profiles and often upload photos, videos, and other personal information to share with others, hopefully friends and family, but also strangers. Users can find others from all over the world and keep in touch through their personal pages, expressing thoughts, or even by chatting online. Social media is replacing more traditional methods of email, and while has a value, can also expose our children and ourselves to cyber risk.

 

Just like keeping your PC secure with anti virus software, or using a firewall, there are other tips to help keep the internet a safe and information rich environment for all, especially the most vulnerable, our children.

 

  • Keep the computer in a common area of the house and restrict use when an adult is not at home
  • Talk with kids about their online activities and view their profiles together
  • Set guidelines for internet use
  • Know your child's passwords, screen names, and account information
  • Use strong passwords, including upper and lower case letters, numbers or special characters 
  • Remind children never to give out personal information and explain the public nature of the internet
  • Use privacy settings and restrict your child's profile to users you know

 

More information on keeping a safer internet experience can be found at the Stop, Think, Connect website, brought to us from the Center for Internet Security and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center.  Please visit Stop Think Connect.  All of us working together can make the internet a safer place.

World Police and Fire Games

Multnomah County Sheriff's Office athletes compete in World Police and Fire Games

 

US Embassy Representative, Sgt Jon Haase, Dep Don Bryant, Dep Heidi Balmaceda, Dep Juan Roldan

 

Welcome back to our MCSO competitors who travelled at their own expense to compete in the World Police and Fire Games in Belfast, Ireland August 1 - 10, 2013 bringing back five medals from the competition. Congratulations! 

 

Deputy Don Bryant

Silver Medal

Bench Press     125 KG 55-60 Year Old Division

 

Deputy Heidi Balmaceda

2 Silver Medals

Limited Recurve Freestyle Archery     Womens Age 18-49 Division

 

Deputy Juan Roldan

Mountain Run

10 K Cross Country Mens Open Division

 

Sgt. Jon Haase

2 Silver Medals

Golf        Individual Age 18-49      Flight "B"

Golf        Team Competition

 




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